This allegedly allowed Mr Fan and Ms Lou to withdraw cash from ATMs with the pin code learnt from video footage of unwitting customers.

The couple bought luxury houses, including this Pymble mansion and sent their kids to private schools after allegedly skimming $2.9m.

A neighbouring shop owner told news.com.au that when the couple operated the store, which has since been taken over, the goods for sale were "stale, out of date, or there was nothing on the shelf".

Mr Fan was "always on his computer playing games", and Ms Lou would be teaching her children written Chinese.

The couple, now allegedly estranged, owns a five-bedroom mansion in the North Shore Sydney suburb of Pymble, and other investment properties.

Mr Fan's mother, who is not implicated in any police allegations, closed down the business and vacated the premises following three days of police raids last year.

Fairfax reported that at a bail application by Mr Fan before Justice Lucy McCallum, the court heard he has convictions for fraud from 2005, 2012 and 2014.

Mr Fan and his wife lived with their three privately educated children in the five-bedroom house named Anglyn bought in 2014 for $1.74 million.

In a police raid on Anglyn last year, officers allegedly found a 7 Series BMW, a Nissan Patrol, a Porsche 4WD and a $10,000 deposit for another Porsche.

Mr Fan is facing charges of dealing with proceeds of crime over $1 million, possessing equipment to make a false document and committing an unauthorised function.

Ms Lou faces 30 charges relating to the alleged fraud, including nine charges of dishonestly obtain a financial advantage by deception, three counts of dealing with proceeds of crime and other charges relating to possessing identifying data to commit an indictable offence.

Mr Fan was denied bail, and Ms Lou remains on bail, with both to return to court on August 14.

The couple’s now defunct business ran out of a convenience store in Rozelle where police allegedly found $1m in cash in a secret room. The premises now has new operators.